Card index system



Aug. 22, 1933. R, J, WOOD 1,923,133

CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 22, 1933 CARD INDEX SYSTEM Rodney J. Wood, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to- Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a Corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1929. Serial No. 365,712

10 Claims. (Cl. 12916.5)

This invention relates to card files and the like and more particularly to means for indexing a system or collection of cards or sheets by utilizing record cards or data sheets at spaced intervals for guide purposes without the necessity for special division or guide cards.

It is usual to provide tabbed guide cards for dividing and subdividing a system or collection of record cards or data sheets which guide or division cards inserted intermediate successive groups of record cards with their tabs projecting above the level of such record cards and bearing upon their exposed faces indicia pertaining to the card classification. Such division or guide cards occupy considerable space which is otherwise needed for record card storage. Sometimes as much as ten to fifteen per cent of the available drawer or container space is 00-- cupied by such division or guide cards. Moreover, such tabbed classification or guide cards, especialiy when adapted for use in extensive card systems, are quite expensive.

The present invention renders a card system self-indexing. Every card is a working card or record-bearing sheet which is further capable of use also for index or guide purpose. The record cards at spaced intervals utilized also as guide cards, thus become duo-functional. The successive record cards forming the collection or system, bear along their top margins names, numbers or other indicia, identifying the card and record carried thereby and determining its relative position in the collection or succession of record cards. In the present instance such cards are arranged in systematic succession as is ordinary in such systems whether the system be alphabetical, numeri al or according to other determining factors. After the cards are systematically disposed in predetermined succession, individual record cards at spaced intervals are elevated sufficiently to expose their top margins above intermediate cards. Such cards for elevation may be selected at random or arbitrarily as each tenth card twelfth card or twentieth card, etc, as may be desired.

In order to support such selected cards in their elevated positions, each card is provided with integral up-turned tongues struck from the material of the card in spaced relation with its lower margin upon whichan adjacent card selected for guide purpose may be supported. In the present instance these supporting tongues are formed by semi-circular incisions in. the body of the cards, the tongue formed thereby being flexed slightly out of the plane of the card to permit the insertion of the low er margin of a selected card to be held in elevated position.

Such elevation of course exposes name, number or other indicia ap the top margin thereof. 7

While for ordinary card index s nary card material will befound to cient strength and durability, to

to view the pearing upon ystems, ordipossess suiiimeet certain conditions of use wherein cards are subjected to frequent referenceand hard usage supporting sheets of thin metalor other durable material having therein the integral supporting tongues referred to may be employed for supporting the selected card. Likewise, if desired,

the exposed portion of the card may be protected within a transparent envelope or enclosure of celluloid or the like having interlocking engagement with the card support.

The object of the invention is to simplify the assembly and arrangement as well as the means and mode of operation of card index systems whereby they will not only be m ore compact,

occupying minimum space, possessing wide flexibility as to indexing possibility, and

obviating the necessity of special division or guide cards.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby any card of a system may be utilized for guide collection or or indexing purposes in addition to its use as a record or data bearing card.

point.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable, convenient but economical reinforcement means for index or guide cards of such system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protective transparent enclosure for the exposed portion of guide or index cards of a card system.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the fea tures of construction, the parts and combinaequivalents as hereinafter described i the claims.

tions thereof and the mode of operation or their and set forth of the space 3, for given name initials.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a perspective view of a succession of cards forming a portion of a card index system, certain record cards of the series being elevated at spaced intervals to afiord guide or classification indicia visible above the level of intermediate cards.

Fig. 2 is a face view of one of the record cards separated from the group or succession and showing the supporting tongues for an adjacent card employed for guide purposes.

Fig. 3 illustrates such card supported upon a reinforcement back.

Fig. 4 shows the record card carried upon a reinforcement back with an additional overlying protective transparent enclosure for the upper margin of the card.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view partly broken away of the reverse side of the assembly shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the means forengaging the protective envelope or enclosure over the top margin of the record card.

Fig. 7 illustrates a further modification of the mounting of the transparent protective strip.

' Fig. 8 illustrates a further modification of the card-supporting means.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a further modification.

Figure 11 is a detail view showing the tongues illustrated in Fig. 7.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The cards comprising the system including both those used for record purposes only and those used for guide or indexing purposes in addition to their record or data bearing function are identical with that illustrated in Fig. 2. Each of such cards 1 carries adjacent to its lower margin one or more integral tongues 2-2 formed from the body of the card by an incision or out which, in the drawings, have been shown as semicircular. The particular shape of the supporting tongues 2 is not material. For use, such tongues 2 are bent slightly out of the plane of the card 1 in order that a succeeding card 1 may be engaged behind such tongues 22 as shown in Fig. l and so held in an elevated position with its top margin above the normal level of the collection of cards. Such elevation of the cards 1 exposes to 'view the indicia carried upon the top margin of such elevated card. The indicia may be of any suitable character. Any of the usual indexing systems may be employed, such as alphabetical, numerical, chronological by days, months or years, or in accordance with other desired classification factors.

There is shown in the drawings at the top of each card the name and initial of the person to whom the record upon the card pertains. In the present instance the margin of the card is provided with a space 3 for the family name and an alphabetical succession of spacese to the right Such alphabetical succession of spaces 3 enables the indexing of the cards according to the first name initial in such manner that cards may be readily and quickly located; In such system of indexing diiferent given name initials are located at different distance from the family name in accord ance with the relative alphabetical positionof such given name initial- All like initials are located at the same distance from the family name in registry with each other, and unlike initials at different distances therefrom. Thus the initials appearing upon the exposed portion of rec- 0rd cards utilized for indexing purposes will appear in rows with all like initials in the same row, each row containing difierent first name initials. Likewise, the like initials upon the concealed cards intermediate those utilized for index purposes will be found in the same rows; that is, all like initials will be in registry, and different rows will contain difierent given name initials.

By this system a particular card is easily and quickly located even though there may be a large number of cards bearing the same family name, by observing only those cards having given name initials identical with that of the desired name, which will all be found in registry with each other and in a common position corresponding to the relative position of such given name initial in the alphabet. Obviously while there may be a large number of Smiths or Joneses or Browns in the card system, there will be relatively few Smiths or Joneses or Browns bearing the same given name initial. Thus to locate Robert, Ruben, or Raymond Brown, one looks only in the R position transversely of the card, and disregards all other cards except those having given name initials in such position which in each case embodies the initial R.

The name cards being assembled or arranged in alphabetical sequence of the family name spelling, as is customary in directory arrangement, and being sub-indexed by the relative positioning of the given name initials transversely of the cards, it becomes a quite simple matter to locate approximately the family name group, and then by referring specifically to the alphabetical position of the given name initial, the desired card is confined to a comparatively narrow range of search field.

At the right of the cards there is shown an additional space 5 in which may be entered in sequential position index numerals, the final digit of a number pertaining to a particular card bef.

ing always located in its approximate numerical position and thus registering with like digits on other cards of the series. This numerical index supplements the previously described alphabetical index, wherein a certain card or group of other, and unlike final digits differently spaced.

Such system of alphabetical indexing heretofore described in a modified form is set forth and described in copending application Ser. No. 672,322

filed November 2, 1923 of which the present sysv tem is a further development.

What ever indexing system may be employed, the indicia being located on the top margin 0;? the card become visible when the card is elevated slightly above the level-of adjacent cards. Various means may be employed for supporting the card in such elevated positions as are herein described.

The usual and preferred method of assembly or arranging the cards is that of the usual directory style wherein the family names are progressively arranged according to spelling. Preferably, though not necessarily, when a large group of similar family names is encountered, the cards of such group are reassembled with the given name initials in sequence. Thisfhowever, is not essential. After the cards have been arranged in proper sequence, individual cards at spaced intervals are elevated above adjacent cards to expose the indicia upon their top margins for guide or index purposes. Such selected cards may be either at regular or irregularintervals. Ordinarily every tenth card, or'every fifteenth card or twentieth card, as may be desired, is thus elevated. It is not necessary, however, that the cards be evenly spaced since any card of the assembly in any position-therein may be'utilized for guide or index purpose in addition to its ordinary function as a record card. Thus the necessity for special guide or division cards is entirely obviated. Every card in the file'is a working cardor record card and every card is a potential guide card, requiring only to be elevated sufficiently to expose to view the indicia, carried upon its top margin, above the level of adjacent cards. In

D addition to-its function as a record card and as a potential guide card, every card of the series or assembly may also be a potential support card for such guide card, since preferably, though not necessarily, every card of the series is provided with the integral supporting tongues or flaps 2 upon which an adjacent card may be supported in elevated position. Thus every card of the assem-' bly may possess three functional characteristics.

The card stock ordinarily employed for files of this character is usually of sufficient durability to withstand ordinaryusage. For files subject to frequent reference and hard usage, it may be desirable to reinforce the elevated record card utilized for guide purposes by supporting it upon a reinforcement backing 6 of thin sheet-metal having adjacent its lower margin flaps or tongues 2 quite similar to the flaps or tongues 2 of the record card before described, upon whichthe elevated card may be carried. The reinforcement backing 6 is of such height as to extend to the soiled, the exposed top area of the recordcards V utilized for guide purposes may be protected by an overlying cover strip of thin transparent material. In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a simple form of protective envelope or cover comprising a strip of transparent sheet material such as celluloid or one of the numerous cellulose products. This protective strip 8 is folded upon itself to receive within the fold the top margin of the record card and portions of the backing sheet.

'8 is projected in alternating directions through the successive slits formingsuch tongues, so that portions of the top margin .of the backing sheet '6 and the top margin'of the record card 1 are enclosed within such folded transparent strip while the tongues 9 formed by slitting the backingi sheet extend exteriorly of the transparent folded strip and are clenched or reversely bent at their extremities over the fold of such strip. The clenched or reversely bent extremities of such tongues 9 as shown in Fig. 4, are quite short so that they do not materially interfere with the exposure of the indicia carried upon'the card beneath the protective strip.

In Fig. 6 there is a modification of the means for engaging the transparent strip wherein the top margin of the backing sheet 6 is reversely bent as at 10 while the lower margin of the rear side of the folded transparent strip 8 is infolded beneath such reversely folded margin 10 of the backing sheet as is indicated at 11. Thus the margins of the backing sheet 6 and protective strip 8 are interlocked one with the other at the rear side of the record card and its support, leaving the face of the card entirely unobstructed but with its margin overlapped by the forward side of the folded strip of transparent material 8.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a still further modification employing a flat transparent strip of single thickness in lieu of the folded strip heretofore described. The reinforcement backing sheet 6 is reversely bent along its top margin'to afford a shallow channel in which the top margin of the record card seats as indicated at 12. Projecting from this reverse margin is a plurality of dependent tongues 13 overlapping the transparent protective strip 14 beneath the lower margin of which the tongues .13 are reversely bent or clenched as at 15.

Any of the several forms of mounting illustrated will hold the transparent protective cover over the margin of the record card without however reducingthe capacity of the container in which the cards may be located, nor occupying space otherwise needed or usable for additional cards.

In lieu of supporting a selected card for guide purpose upon another record card or upon a reinforcement back, as heretofore described, other supporting means may be employed. In Fig. 8 there is shown a variation wherein a card selected for guide purpose is supported upon independent clips or small feet 16 engageable with the lower margin of such card. As illustrated in the drawings, such supporting members may be comparatively small sections of tag board, fiber, or thin metal having formed therein an integral flap or tongue 2" behind which the lower margin of the card is engageable. Such. supporting members are preferably employed in pairs, and are engaged with themargin of the card adjacent to its opposite ends to support the card in elevated position with its top indicia-bearing margin exposed to view.

In Fig. 9 there is shown a further modification wherein the record cards may be arranged in groups with the top margin of each card pertaining to a particular group elevated above the margin of the'preceding card, whereby the vmargins of all the cards of the given group are rendered simultaneously visible. The cards are quite similar to those heretofore described, each each record card 1 a support card 17. The support cards 17 pertaining to each group have their supporting tongues 2 disposed at a different series of elevations. By this means each succeeding record card 1 of any particular group cards comprising a group are simultaneously visible and at the same time the topmost cards pertaining to other succeeding groups are also simultaneously visible. Thus instead of elevating but one card of each group, as indicated in Fig. 1, all of the cards of each group are disposed at different elevations, but as a final result it is only the'topmost cards of the several groups which are simultaneously visible for guide purposes in the same manner that the elevated cards of Fig. 1 are simultaneously visible. The advantage, however, is that when the particular group has been located, upon opening the file all of the cards of the group when arranged as in Fig. 9 become simultaneously visible whereas in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the cards comprising such group must be separated in order to select a desired card. While as heretofore described the supporting tongues 22 are preferably formed integral with the support card by being cut therefrom, it will be obvious that such supporting tongues may be formed separately and glued or cemented to the support card in the desired position.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without de parting from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect and the invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a card file system, a succession of vertically disposed record cards, each having indicia located on its top margin, and upturned supporting tongues located adjacent to the lower margin of each card on which to support in elevated position a like card whereby the marginal indicia of the elevated card will be exposed to view, there being record cards at spaced intervals so supported upon the supporting tongues of the next adjacent record card.

2. As an article of manufacture, a record card adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion and means for interconnecting a like card therewith in vertically offset position whereby the marginal indicia of the second card will be exposed to view above the level of the top-of the first card.

3. As an article of manufacture, a record card adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion, and an upwardly and outwardly projecting tongue formed from the material of said card adjacent to its lower margin upon which a like cardmay be supported in elevated position with the marginal guide indicia exposed to view above the level of the top margin of other like cards. 7 x

4. A record card of the character described adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion, the latter including a family name and given name initial the entry of given name initials. being made in spaced relation with the family name'proportionate to the relative position of such given name initials in the alphabet.

5. A record card of the character described adapted-to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion, said guide indicia including a family name and given name initials distributively disposed relative to the family name in spaced relation corresponding to the relative position of such given name initial in the alphabet.

6. A card system including-a succession of cards each adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion, said marginal portion being adapted to receive family names in registering positions upon succeeding cards, and to receive given name initials in spaced relation with the family names proportionate to the relative position of the given name initials in the alphabet whereby like name initials will be located like distances from the corresponding names and in registry with each other, and unlike given name initials will be located at different distances from the family names and out of registry with each other. 7

'7. In a card index system, a succession of like cards, each adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion whereby any card of the series may be utilized for guide purposes by being elevated relative to adjacent like cards, means for supporting such cards in elevated position at spaced intervals throughout the series to expose to view above adjacent cards the guide indicia carried thereby, and a protective transparent cover for the exposed indicia-bearing portion thereof.

8. In a card index system, a succession of like cards, each adapted to receive record data on its body portion and guide indicia on its top marginal portion whereby any card of the series may be utilized for guide purposes by being elevated relative to adjacent like cards, said last-mentioned space being adapted to receive a basic index entry, and a subordinate index entry, the like subordinate index entries on different cards being located like distances from the basic entry and different subordinate index entries on different cards being located different distances from the basic entry in predetermined sequential relation.

9. In a card file system, the combination with a series of substantially upright record cards, of a plurality of support cards associated therewith, upturned tongues upon said support cards with which adjacent record cards are engageable to support the engaged card in elevated positions, the tongues upon different support cards being located at different levels whereby succeeding record cards will be presented in overlapping relation.

10. In a card file system, the combination with a series of substantially upright record cards, arranged in groups, of a series of support cards for y the record cards of each group, each support card having thereon, upturned supporting tongues for the engagement of a record card, the tongues of support cards pertaining to each group being, located at progressively increasing altitudes whereby the record cards engaged therewith will be.

supported in overlapping relation with the top margins of the cards of each group simultaneously exposed to view.

RODNEY J. WOOD. 

